CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 178-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2185

S.D. 3

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2185, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREWORKS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the auditor of fireworks and articles pyrotechnic records for each county fire department to submit to the Legislature an annual report detailing inventory, recordkeeping, and sales of fireworks to license or permit holders; and

(2) Make grants-in-aid to the counties to cover costs associated with reporting the information to the Legislature.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the use of illegal fireworks in recent years has substantially increased in the State, resulting in excessive noise, property damage, serious injuries, and in some cases, fatalities. Existing law requires that each county fund an auditor to monitor strict inventory and recordkeeping requirements to ensure that sales of fireworks or articles pyrotechnic are made only to license or permit holders under the Fireworks Control Law.  This measure requires additional reporting requirements to increase surveillance of fireworks and articles pyrotechnic, with the ultimate goal of reducing the use of illegal fireworks throughout communities in the State.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have appropriated funds as a grant-in-aid to the counties for the purpose of reporting the information required in this measure;

(2) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2023; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2185, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2185, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Chair
____________________________ CHRIS TODD Co-Chair	____________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI Co-Chair
	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI Co-Chair